Controlled blood sugar is the best way to promote healthy pregnancy
Pregnancy and diabetes that present a unique challenge to the expecting mothers and babies to be born could be efficiently met through tight blood sugar control.
According to a report that appeared in the recent publication of Diabetic Association of Pakistan pregnant women with Diabetes either Type One or Two must put-forth the goal of “Tight Blood Sugar Control” among their top priorities.
“Controlling blood sugar level is the best way to prevent diabetes complications and when it comes to pregnancy and diabetes, blood sugar control is more important than ever,” said the compilers of the report.
Good sugar control during diabetes was enumerated to reduce the risk of miscarriage and still birth – that are primary concerns for expecting mothers suffering from diabetes.
Meanwhile better their blood sugar control levels less likely are the chances of diabetic mothers going to pre-term labor or that of premature birth.
Good blood sugar control during early pregnancy also greatly reduces their baby’s risk of birth defects, particularly those affecting the brain, spine and heart.
It was warned that would be mothers with poor blood sugar control enhances the risk of excess growth as extra glucose can cross the placenta that triggers baby’s pancreas to make extra insulin and which can cause baby to grow too large.
A large baby makes vaginal delivery difficult and puts the baby at risk of injury during birth.
The compilers of the report mentioned that sometimes babies of mothers who have diabetes develop low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) shortly after birth because their own insulin production is high.
Mothers were advised that their good blood sugar control can help promote a healthy blood sugar level for their baby, as well as healthy levels of calcium and magnesium in the blood.
Good blood sugar level also helps prevent jaundice among babies born to them – this is a condition manifested through a yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes after birth.
Mothers, through controlled blood sugar, can also protect themselves against the risks of high blood pressure, preeclampsia – which is high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy – and other potentially serious pregnancy complications.